European doctors have lent their voice to a call on the European Commission “not to delay the implementation of the new regulations on medical devices."

The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) together with the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists, the European Hospital and Healthcare Federation, the European Social Insurance Platform, the International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies and the French medical publication Prescrire this week published a joint statement urging authorities to ensure the timely application of the new rules.

They described the recent implant files scandal as "yet another warning of the urgency of the situation and of the weaknesses of the existing legislation" and said that while the new regulations "far from guarantee the same level of safety as those for pharmaceuticals," they are “at least a step in the right direction."

"Timely implementation of the new rules will allow for an evaluation of their adequacy as regards solving the identified problems and for the identification of areas in need of improvement. Only once they are properly evaluated, will we be able to consider, the adoption of any further measures where needed," they added.

The organisations have also called on the Commission to seek the highest level of transparency regarding high-risk medical devices.